Container with sanitary pouring surface and protecting barriers



March 5- cs. OLSCHROEDER; ETAL. I

CONTAINER WITH SANITARY POURING SURFACE AND PROTECTING BARRIERS FiledNov. 8; 1954 INVENTORS GEORGE o. ,SCHROEDER KENNERD M. F'RASE BY ZM mam,

fi-MQ l Unite George 0. Schroeder, Chicago, and Kennerd M. Erase,Maywood, Ill., assignors to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New Jersey Application November 8, 1954, Serial No.467,422 6 Claims. (Cl. 229-7) The present invention relates tocontainers for the packaging and delivery of liquids, such as milk,fruit juices and other flowable products, and has particular referenceto a fibre container having a sanitary pouring surface protected by aclosure element and adjacently disposed barriers to shield the pouringsurface from foreign matter.

This invention is an improvement upon the containers disclosed in UnitedStates Patent 2,321,050 issued June 8; 1943, to R. H. Seymer and inUnited States Patent 2,085,979 issued July 6, 1937, to J. M. Hothersall.

The invention contemplates a liquid proofed container which comprises atubular body substantially square through its transverse section, havingflat top and bottom end members secured to the body by interfoldedmarginal edge portions constituting end seams in which the parts arepermanently united by an interposed suitable liquid proof adhesive. Thecontainer is coated with paraffin or other suitable material to producea leakproof container, the top end having a filling and dispensingopening which is sealed by a removable closure element covering apouring surface protected by the element when closed and furtherprotected even when the element is open, by barriers which may or maynot be a part of the closure element.

An object of the invention is the provision of a liquid proof fibrecontainer having a pouring opening wherein the surface surrounding theopening is protected by barrier elements permanently secured to thecontainer so that any foreign matter which may collect on the containermay be deflected away from the pouring surface.

Another object is the provision of such a container wherein the barrierelements disposed around the disp'ensing opening serve to reenforce andstiflen the portion of the container adjacent the opening and therebyprevent undue flexing or breathing of the container wall.

Another object is the provision of such a container wherein the barrierelements may be formed integral with the closure element or may beseparate pieces, but in either case are spaced relative to movableportions of the closing element by mere slits which are readily sealedby the liquid proof coating on the container or by pressing intointimate contact to bar seepage of liquid foreign matter under theclosure element.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings: 1

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sealed container embodying theinstant invention, with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the top end member and theclosure and barrier elements used in the container shown in Fig. l;

' Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper end of the 2 container shownin Fig. 1 with the closure element illustrated in open position:

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form of theinvention in which the barrier elements are separate members and Fig. 5is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along a planeindicated by the lines 5-5 in Fig.

3, with parts broken away.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention thedrawing illustrates a container of the general construction disclosed inthe above mentioned Hothersall Patent 2,085,979. Such a containerbriefly comprises a substantially rectangular. or square tubular fibrebody 11 closed at its ends with suitable top and bottom end members 12,13 respectively. These end members are similar and are similarly securedto the body.

The containerbod'y 11 preferably is formed from a single sheet or blankof fibrous material folded at right angles to provide four side walls10. The side marginal edge portions of the blank are overlapped andadhesively secured together to provide a leakproof side seam 14 whichextends the full length of the body.

The end members 12, 13 preferably are made of the same fibrous materialand are rectangular or square to fit into the ends of the body. Theseend members preferably are fiat and .have their marginal edge portionsinterfolded with marginal end portions of the body. For this purpose thebody marginal end portions are bent inwardly at 15 (see Fig. 5) and thenoutwardly as at 16 thereby providing a shoulder or ledge 17 whichextends peripherally around the body and upon which the end membersseat.

Beyond the ledges E7, the body marginal end portions are bent around theperipheral edge of the end member and then extend inwardly over the endmember to provide a peripheral horizontal flange 153 which is opposed tothe ledge 17 and which holds the end member tightly in place. A liquidproof adhesive interposed between the end member and the ledge 17 andthe flange 18 provides a leakproof end seam 19.

The top end member 12 is provided with a filling and dispensing opening22 (Figs. 2 and 3) which is formed adjacent one corner of the member.This opening 22 preferably is closed with a hinged closure element 23which preferably is made from a single thickness of the same fibrousmaterial as the body and the end members. The closure element seals thefilling and dispensing opening 22 and extends over adjacent surfaces ofthe top end member 12 and portions of the top end seam 19 to protect allpouring surfaces against contamination. For this purpose, the closureelement 23 is slightly wider than the dispensing opening 22 andintermediate its ends is formed with a depending friction plug 24 havinga surrounding flange 25.

The friction plug 24 seats within the opening 22 and is expanded underthe top end member 12 in the usual manner, after the container isfilled, to seal the opening and hold the closure element in place. Thesurrounding flange 25 covers the top surface around the opening 22 p ofthe top end member 12 and thus protects this surface from contamination.The outer edges of this flange 25 preferably are straight and may beparallel or may be divergent as shown in Fig. 1.

At its inner end, the closure element 23 is formed with a tab 27 whichis set off from the element by a hinge line 28. The tab 27 is adhesivelysecured to the upper face of the top end member 12 by adhesive 29 (Fig.2). The opposite or outer end of the closure element 23 projects overthe portion of the end seam 19 adjacent the dispensing opening 22. Thisend of the Patented Mar. 11, 1958' aseaaas closureelementis. providedwith a lip 31 which extends down over the outer corner edges of the endseam 19 and is bent inwardly under the corner portion of the seam tosecure the outer end of the closure element in place.

In order to protect the pouring surfaces .under the closure element 23at all times, even when the element is .open. as in Fig. 3, againstcontamination by undesirable foreign matter which may collect-'onthe topend member 12.and to prevent this foreign matter from entering theopening 22, provision is made to divert any such foreign matter awayfrom these parts of the container. For this purpose a pair of barriermembers 32 are disposed closely adjacent and abutting the straight. sideedgesof the flange 25- of the closure element 231. These barrier members32 are permanently secured to the top end-member. 12by adhesive.33(Fig.2.). At

their. inner; ends, the barrier. members 32. extend up. to.

or. past the. hinge tab 27 of .the closure element 23. At their. outerends, they are taperedtoward the end seam 19 and extend under the flange18 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and. 3 where they terminate in the endseam to insure that no foreign matter passes beyond them.

In themodified. form of the invention as shown in Fig. 4, the; bodyflange. 18 adjacent the outer ends .of the barrier member 32,. is cutaway to form close fitting recesses 30 in which the outer ends of thebarrier mem-. bers 32 areseated. In this form of the invention, thebarrier members are in the same plane as the flange 18 of the end seam.so that the upper surfaces of the members and the. flange aresubstantially flush.

The barrier members 32 preferably are made from. a single thickness ofthe same fibrous material asthe closure element 23 and may be madeintegral with. the closure element. as shown in Fig. 3 where they areforward and, sidewise extensions of the hinge tab 27, or. they may bemade as separate pieces as shown in. Fig. 4. A preferred. manner offorming these barrier members 32 is to..include them in the materialfrom which the.

closure element. 23 is made and to first draw the friction plug 24' andto. then. slit the closure element inwardly between the outer edges ofthe barrier members and the drawn friction plug to. produce the closureunit, shown in Fig. 2. v With, this manner of forming the.barrierelements no space is created between the inner edges of the.barrier members and. the outer edges of the closure flanges25...

Wherethe barrier. members32 are formed as separate.

pieces. (as in.F.ig. 4), the. closure element 23. is first attached to.the top member. 12. and the barrier members are then attached withtheirinner. edges in contact with the outer edges of the. closure flanges25.In either case.

the portion of the closure element. situated between the.

barrier members;32 constitutes. a movable flap which may be readilyhinged upwardly to dispense. the contents of the container while thebarrier members remain permanently stationary.

In either case, no space is provided between the barrier members 32 andthe closure flanges; 25 so that the liquid proofing substance applied tothe entire. container after the container is made, also seals anyinterstices between the inner edges of the barrier members. and. the.

outer edges of the closure. flanges. and. thereby prevents.

any liquid foreign matterfrom seeping past theseedges onto the protectedpouring surfaces. It desired,.exter.-.

nal pressure, with an application .of heat may be applied.

to. the closure element and barrier members. to seal their contactingedges.

The closure. flanges .25 preferably are pressed. down into the plane ofthe barrier members 32 to locate the top, surfaces of the flanges insubstantially flush. rela-. tion with the top surfaces of the members.This pref.- erably is done after the container. is filled andsimultaneously with the expansion of the friction plug inhthe usualmanner to sealthe container. 'Ihisproduces an:

offset or shoulder 35 (see Fig. 5) in the flap adjacent the inner edgeof the horizontal flange 18 of the con tainer body and thus permits theinner surface of the flap to tightly and intimately engage and toprotect the top surface of the end member 12 entirely around thedispensing opening 22. In order to provide for greater area contactbetween these surfaces, when the dispensing opening 22 is closelyadjacent the body flange 18, the flange preferably is relievedorrecessed as at 35.. The offset 35 merges into the outer portion of theflap which surrounds the end seam. 19 and terminates inthelip 31. Theoffset or shoulder. 35, however, may be initially formed in the closuremember 23 prior to its attach ment to the end member 12. to facilitatemanufacturing procedure ifdesired.

Hence with the barrier members. 32 in permanent place on the top member12 and with their outer ends securely tucked under the flange 18 of theend seam 19, or seated in. the'recesses 30 of the flange 18, the outeredges of the single thickness of fibrous material of the barriermembers'provide a shoulder or raised barrier, extending above the uppersurface of the top member 12, to dam. or divert away from the pouringsurfaces and the dispensing opening 22, any foreign matter which maybecome dislodged from or flow across the top member 12 when the .closureelement 23 is in open position as shown in Fig. 3.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. A container for holding and dispensing liquid products, comprising atubular body having a flat end wall member secured thereto in aperipheral end seam, said end wall being provided with a pouringopening, a single thickness. one-piece closure for closing said opening,said closure having a substantially flat extension overlying andcovering said wall around said opening, marginal lateral. and innerportionsv of said flat extension being secured to and sealed. againstsaid end wall, and said lateral portions extending from said innerportion of the extension toward and into said end seam and being slitfrom.the central portion of said closure to provide. a centralclosureflap freely hingeable on said secured inner endof the closure so thatsaid sealed lateral and inner endportions rise above the surface of saidflat end wall.

to. form a .barrier against movement of foreign matter from theunprotected onto the protected portion of the end member around saidopening when the latter is uncovered and while liquid is dispensedthrough said opening.

2. A container of the character defined in claim 1 wherein the pouringopening containing wall. is a flat top end member secured to saidtubular body by the top marginal endportion of said body being lappedover said endmember in a peripheral end seam.

3.-A container of the character defined in claim 2 wherein saidperipheral end seam is cut away to receive the terminal endsof saidbarrier members.

4; A container for holding and dispensing liquid products, comprising atubular body, an end member secured to. the top of saidtubular. bodyinan end seam wherein the top marginal portion of the body forms aninturned' sion overlying-and; covering said wall around said opening.and having its inner end hingedly secured to. said top eudemembensaid.extension .on both; sides of: said plug being slit to provide a freelyhingeable flap containing said friction plug and to also providemarginal barrier members terminating between said flat top end memberand said lapped over marginal end portion of said body to secure saidbarrier member ends in said end seam, said barrier members beingadhesively secured to said top end member and projecting above thesurface of said top end member to prevent movement of foreign matterfrom the uncovered portion of said top end member onto the normallycovered portion of said end member when it is uncovered.

5. A container for holding and dispensing liquid products, comprising atubular body having an end wall secured thereto in a peripheral endseam, said end wall being provided with a pouring opening therein, afriction plug closure hingedly attached at its inner end to a tab sealedand secured against said wall, said closure having a central frictionplug for closing said opening and a flange around said plug to cover andprotect said wall around said opening, and barrier members sealed and 6secured against said wall on opposite sides of said closure andlaterally abutting along and against the lateral edges thereof, saidbarrier members extending from said tab to and into said peripheral endseam and thereby cooperating with said tab to prevent movement offoreign matter from the unprotected onto the protected portion of thewall around said opening when the latter is uncovered and while liquidis dispensed through said openmg.

6. A container of the character defined in claim '5 wherein said closureis provided with a lip at the free end thereof oifset from said closureflange and extending over said peripheral end seam. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,085,979 2,321,050 Seymer June 8, 1943 Preis July 1, 1952 HothersallJuly 6, 1937

